Four, including three children, asphyxiated to death in house in Manali

CHENNAI: Four persons of the same family - a 65 year old woman and her three young grand daughters - died in their sleep due to asphyxiation in an accidental fire at a house in Mathur- MMDA near Manali on early Saturday morning.

An electric short circuit lead to the burning of wires in a table fan and other appliances which resulted in smoke filing the house, preliminiary investigations have revealed. Police said that the gas cylinder in the house was found intact. The plastic can holding liquid mosquito repellant too melted in the fire and some of the fire burnt the nylon and cardboard materials in the room the occupants were sleeping.

The deceased were identified as Santhanalakshmi and her three grand daughters - Sandhya (10), Priya Lakshmi (8) and Pavitra (8).

Preliminary investigations revealed that all four of them were sleeping in the hall of the house on second cross street, Third main road in Mathur-MMDA. Sandhya was a class 5 student while Priya and her cousin, Pavithra were in class 3.

Santhalakshmi's son Udayar, 40 works as a food delivery agent. Police said that he suffered an accident and was hospitalized. Udayar's wife, Selvi (32) stayed with him in the hospital after which Udayar asked his mother to come from Tenkasi to come and stay in Chennai to take care of the daughters.

Selvi's niece, Pavithra stayed in their home too. As Pavithra didn't turn up on Saturday morning, her parents Boothathan and Velammal peeped through the window to find the children lying unconscious and they noticed smoke inside the house after which they broke open the door.

TNFRS (Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service) personnel from Manali fire station reached the scene and reached the elderly woman.

All four of them were moved to a hospital where they were declared brought dead. The bodies have been moved to Government Stanley hospital for autopsy. Madhavaram Milk Colony police have registered a case and are investigating.